Red Sox Phenom Espinoza Has High Hopes

BOSTON—Righthander Anderson Espinoza does not shy from ambition. The wildly talented 18-year-old believes in setting a bar high, a fact that becomes clear when he outlines his goals for the 2016 season.

“My goals are big this year,” said Espinoza, who opened at low Class A Greenville, through translator Daveson Perez. “I want to start off in Greenville, pitch 50 or so innings, and then, hopefully, be promoted to High-A.

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“I want to make the Futures Game this year in San Diego, and, hopefully, I can have maybe two or three starts in Double-A. Those are my goals for the season.”

Espinoza, who signed out of Venezuela for $1.8 million in 2014, knows he will have doubters.

“I know this is a far-fetched goal,” he said. “There will surely be a lot of people who don’t believe I can do it . . . but I have faith that I will make it to that spot that I see myself.”

Espinoza further detailed his hopes of moving from Double-A Portland to the big leagues in 2017, which would make one of the few pitchers in recent decades to pitch in the majors at age 19.

The basis for his lofty agenda starts with a three-pitch mix that is rarely seen in an 18-year-old, with a fastball that he typically unleashes at 94-98 mph with a relatively low-effort delivery, along with a curveball and changeup that have at least average potential.

The Red Sox want Espinoza to lock in some of the delivery adjustments he made last year, and in the process to improve command of his repertoire. Control of the running game also is an emphasis for a pitcher who spent most of 2015 in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League.

“There have been 19-year-old pitchers in the big leagues, and they’ve been very good,” general manager Dave Dombrowski said. “So why not (have that goal) if you’re in his spot? That’s a great goal to have. There’s nothing wrong with that. But worry about all the steps that you need to take care of to get there.”

SOX YARNS

• High Class A second baseman Yoan Moncada got off to a strong start at the plate, hitting .333/.462/.429 with six steals through six games, though he also was thrown out three times.

• Righthander Aaron Wilkerson led the system with 137 strikeouts in 2015, and the 26-year-old opened 2016 with 17 strikeouts and two walks in 11 innings at Portland.